Card container



June 24, 1958 H. B. MYERS CARD CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HAROLD B. M vans W 4 1 a,

ATTORNEY H. B. MYERS CARD CONTAINER June 24, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTOR. HAROLD MYERS BY WZ% Zw/ ATTORNEY Filed Sept. 1, 1954 June 24, 1958 Filed Sept. 1. 1954 H. B. MYERS 2,840,083

CARD CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

BY HAROLD B- MYERS @w% ;M

ATTORNEY June 24, 1958 H. B. MYERS 2,840,083

CARD CONTAINER Filed Sept. 1. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MIN-H INV TOR- B ROLD B. MYERS A TTORNEY United States Patent" C CARD CONTAINER Harold B. Myers, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 1, 1954, Serial No. 453,630

3 Claims. (Cl. 129-16) The invention relates to improvements in card containtainers. More particularly it deals with containers for record cards of the kind employed to control the operations of business machines.

It is customary to group record cards into various classifications and store them in containers. The containers used heretofore were in the nature of filing drawers that were adapted merely to store files of cards in proper order. To use the stored cards in a business machine it was necessary to transfer them by hand from their containers to the machine and then back again to their containers after they were nolonger needed in the machine. The present invention contemplates a card container having the attributes of a filing drawer but which also is readily adaptable, by simple manipulation of certain of the parts of the container, to be used as a means for introducing the cards contained therein directly into a business machine or to receive cards directly from the business machine. Thus the cumbersome practice of manually transferring the cards between the container and the machine is eliminated.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a versatile record card container having the attributes of a filing drawer and adaptable for use as a feeding or receiving hopper in a card-controlled business machine.

Another object is to provide a card container'wit'h front and rear plates adapted to be removed individually from the exit or entrance path of the cards in the container. A related feature of the container resides in its unitary construction whereby the front and rear plates are displaceable from the exit and entrance paths of the cards without becaming detached from the container, in order that hand grips provided on these plates will be constantly available to facilitate the handling of thecontainer.

' Still another object of the invention is the provision of V a' novel end plate adjustably mounted in the container to define a variable cardfiling space and which is adapted to be locked in its adjusted position by a card presser pivotally "mounted thereon as the presser is swung from a tilted card filing position to a' position inwhich the cards are compressed for storing. ,1

' Other objects of the inventionflwill be pointed out' in the following description and claims and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of examples, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which hasbeen c'ontemplated, of applying that principle.

; 'In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the front, side and in; terior of the container embodying the principles .of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rear, side and interior of'the container with the parts thereof in position to receivecards from a business machine; 1

ice

2 terior of the container with the parts thereof substantially in the positions shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the container as shown in Fig. 3 with the parts in position to feed cards therefrom to a business machine.

Fig. 5 is a partial cross-section of the container and of the front and rear plates shown in elevation.

Fig. 6 is a partial cross-section taken through one side of a modified form of the container showing the composite arrangement of the guide members of the front and rear plates and of the guide tracks.

Fig. 7 is a view of the stop construction at the upper front end of the container looking in the direction of arrow numbered 7 in Fig. 2. 2

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an upperrear portion of a container side showing the cooperation of a retaining washer with theslots and tracks in the container side.

'Fig.13 is a perspective 'view of the rear, :side'and in:

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the reverse side of'the portion of the container shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a cross-section of the container body looking in the direction of the arrows extending from the broken line in Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, the container comprises a body identified generally by the numeral 10. The body 10 comprises a base 12 formed with longitudinally extending grooves 13, a center runner 14a and two side runners 14. On opposite sides of the base 12 are u standing sides 16 which are disposed substantially normal to the base and form therewith a pathway ora card filing space. Referring specifically to Figs. 1 to 4, it will be seen that in one form of construction the sides-16 are formed integrally with the base 12 while in Fig;"6'the sides 16 are shown as separate members connected to the base in any suitable manner along the marginal portions thereof.

Both sides 16 are alike in construction in that the provide for the symmetrical guidance, on the body 10, of the front and rear assemblies, identified generally by the numerals 17 and 18 respectively. Each side 16 has attached along its upper margin a member 19 with two longitudinal grooves between which a track forming plate 20 is attached. Each grooved member 19 isfastened' to its side 16 in such a manner that the lower portion of the lower groove 21 is covered by the upper edge of the side 16. The upper portion of the lower groove 21-is covered by the attached plate 20 which, at its otheredge covers a portion of the other upper groove 22. This construction is shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and in greater detail in Fig. 6 Where it will be noted that the upper margin of each member 19 is turned down toward the upper edge of the attached plate 20. Thus, when the members 19 are properly fastened to their respective sides 16 the grooves 21 and 22 will constitute guide tracks for the movement of the front and rear assemblies 17 and 18'. This movement will be described in greaterdetail as the description proceeds. It is possible to form the guide tracks 21 and 22 in the sides 16 which may be of unitary construction. I

Mounted on the front end of the body 10 is the front assembly 17 which consists of a face plate 23 of sufiicient width to extend across the front of the body 10, and a front plate 24 which extends between the sides 16. The front plate 24 has, at its upper end, a plurality of spaced curled portions 25 interrupted by downwardly staked portions 26 between which an upper guide rod 27 is threaded. The ends of the upper guide rod 27 extend beyond the edges of plate 24 to fit into and ride in the top guide track 22. Washers 28 fixed to each end of the rod 27 guide and retain the ends of the rod 27 in the guide tracks 22.

The lower portion of the plate 24 is of similar construction. A guiderod 29 is threaded between the una 3 staked portions 30 and the staked portions 31 which are arranged on either side of a cut out portion 42. The outer ends of the rod 29 also extend beyond the edges of the plate 24 to fit into a bottom guide track 32 formed at the connection of the sides 16 with the base 12. Track 32 extendsthe length of the body 10 and is open at both the front and rear ends of the body. The rod 29 does not have end guide washers like those retained on upper rod 27.

Front plate 24 is connected to the face plate 23 by any suitable fastening means applied along the upper and lower marginal edges 33 of the front plate. The handle or hand grip 34 may be secured to the face plate. The handle or hand grip 34 may be secured to the face plate 23 by screws which are accessible through holes 35 in plate 24.

Positioned on the outside of each of the sides 16 and at the forward ends thereof is a latching device (Figs. 1,-) comprising a pivotable member 36 having a hook end 37. The member 36 pivots about the pin 38 which is fixed in side 16, and is limited in its movement by the strap 39 which is fixed to side 16 above and below the pivotable member 36. Spring 40, pivoted on the side 16, has one end connected to the member 36 and has its other end extending into the opening of the strap 39. The spring 40 normally urges the hook end 37 downwardly toward the base 12. Apertures 41, provided close to each side edge of the face plate 23, are of sufficient length to admit the hook ends 37 therethrough to retain the front assembly 17 in position at the front end of the body as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5.

In order to swing the front assembly 17 from its normal position, the thumb of each hand is positioned under the latch end 37. of a respective member 36. The remaining fingers of each hand are then positioned along the respective side edges of the face plate 23. The thumbs are moved upwardly to move the respective members 36 upward in the aperture 41 against opposition of spring 40. When the members 36 are urged against the topmost portion of the apertures 41 the lower portion of the plate 23 is pulled forward and away from the hook ends 37, pivoting about top guide rod 27 by pressure applied by the fingers positioned along the side edges of the plate. The front assembly is pushed rearwardly as it pivots about the top guide rod 27, thus moving guide rod 27 to the rear along track 22. The ends of the lower guide rod 29 are inserted into the upper tracks 22. Each corner of the front assembly is thus secured in track 22 from all but fore and aft travel.

To latch the assembly 17 to the front of the. body 10, it is necessary only to pull the assembly forward and position it so that the hook ends 37 extend into the apertures 41. A light tap on the front of the name plate 23 directed toward the rear of the body 10 will bring the rear confines of the apertures 41 into engagement with the downwardly curved surfaces of the hook ends 37 to lift the hook ends 37 entirely through the apertures to latch the assembly in normal position, see Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5.

In Fig. 7 a retaining finger 68 is shown projecting from a corner of the track forming plate into the front end of track 22. This projection in each track 22 is of sufiicient width to prevent the passage of washer 28 and thus retains the upper guide rod 27 in the upper tracks 22. Sufficient space in the pathway of each track 22 above the finger 68 is provided to permit the passage of the lower guide rod 29, which has no washers.

In Figs. 3 and 4 it will be noted that the front plate 24 has a. portion 42 cutout to accommodate the curved card guide 43 when the front assembly 17 is in its normal latched position. The card guide 43 is attached by any suitable means to the underside of the runner 14a on the base 12. Its function will be described below.

, Positioned in rear portion of the body 10 and slidable on the side runners 14 of the base 12 between the sides 16 is the rear assembly 18. The rear assembly 18 is shown in some of its different possible positions in each of the Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings. Assembly 18 has as its base a runner member 44 which is a fiat surface extending the width of base 12 and has a length sufficient to provide a stable guide surface for the assembly to enable it to slide smoothly along the side runners 14. Integral With and slanting up and back from the forward part of the runner member 44 is the tilted or slanted member 45. Along the lower portion of member 45 and at the forward portion of the member 44 there are a number of sections which have been staked back to form loops through which the lower front guide rod 46 will extend, Fig. 5.

Straps 47 along the top portion of the member 45 retain a top guide rod 48. Top guide rod 48 extends beyond the sides of the member 45 to slidably fit within the guide tracks 21 or 22. In Fig. 6 of the drawings rod 48 is shown in its position in the lower guide track 21. This is the position of the rod 48 when the rear assembly 18 is movable on the side runners 14 as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5. At each of the ends of the rod 48 there is a guide washer 49 which, in its normal position, is adapted to ride in track 21 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6). Fastened to each end of the rod 48 is a spring 50 which is fixed to the rod at its one end and at its other end yieldingly urges a friction washer 51 against the inner face of the side 16 and its related members as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6. The spring urged friction washer 51 serves to provide the rear assembly 18 with a restraining means to regulate the movement of the assembly.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the rear assembly 18 is provided at each of its ends with an end guide 52. The end guides 52 serve as stiffeners for the members 44 and 45 to which they are attached. As shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, guides 52 have guide surfaces 53 which are parallel to and slide along the sides 16. The broad hearing area presented by the surfaces 53 to the sides 16 serve to guide the assembly 18 'in its movement in the body 10 and prevents any tendency of the assembly to tilt laterally during such movement.

At the lower rear of each of the guides 52 there is a curled portion 54 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) which accommodates the lower rear guide rod 55. The rod 55 is threaded between the runner member 44 and the curled portions 54 and extends beyond the ends of the assembly '18 in the same manner as the rods 46 and 48. In the normal position of the assembly 18 the extended ends of the rod 55 ride in the lowest guide track 32. Thus, in the present construction the assembly is smoothly and accurately guided for movement in the body 10 between the sides 16 by the rods 46, 48 and 55, the runner member 44 and the end guide surfaces 53.

To provide for manual movement and adjustment of the assembly 18 in the pathway or card filing space formed by the base 12 and sides 16, a handle or hand grip 56 is secured in two uprights 57 which are, in turn, secured to the runner member 44. With the front assembly 17 latched in position at the front end of the pathway and with the rear assembly 18 in the pathway, the card filing space'between the two assemblies may be varied by moving the assembly 18 toward and away from the assembly 17. Handle 56 may also be used in conjunction with handle 34 for carrying the container.

As seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5, a tiltable presser plate 58 is pivotally mounted on the front of the assembly 18. The presser plate 58 pivots about the guide rod 46 to which it isheld by the attached loops 59, see Fig. 5. The presser plate 58 is movable between an upright card compressing position (Fig. 5) in which the cards or articles C are compressed together upright between the front and rear assemblies 17 and 18 and a tilted position (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) to allow the cards or articles C to tilt. With-the presser 58 in tilted position the cards or upright position.

articles C therein will also assume tilted positions to provide access thereto for filing.

To lock the presser plate 58 in its upright card compressing position there is provided a pivoted, finger op erated grip 60 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5). The grip 60 is connected at each of its ends to arms 61 which extend through apertures in the plate 45. The notch 62 on each arm 61 cooperates with the lower portions of the aperture to lock therewithas shown in Fig. 5. Each of the arms 61 are connected at their ends to hinge pins 63 of the hinges 64 on the'back of the presser plate 58. Spiral springs 65, coiled about the hinge pins 63, have their loops extending over the arms 61 while their free ends abut the back of the presser plate 58. v In this way the notched arms 61 are constantly urged into engagement with the lower portions of the apertures in plate 45.

When it is desired to position the presser 58 upright (Fig. 5) it is moved by placing each one of four fingers of one hand in notches 66 provided in the top of the tilted member 45. As the hand is moved toward the front of the body the notched underside of the arm 61 rides along the lower portion of the aperture in plate 45. When the presser 58 is upright notch 62 will be over the engaging portion of the aperture and will be moved into engagement therewith by the action of spring 65 to lock the presser 58 as shown in Fig. 5. The presser is released from its upright position by lifting the finger grip 60 until the notch 62 is disengaged from its aperture. If the grip 60 is then released, allowing it to drop, the presser 58 will automatically move to its tilted position when the inclined surface on the underside of arm 61, between the notch 62 and the hinge 64, is caused by the spring 65, to ride down the lower portion of the aperture.

Undesirable or unwanted movement of the rear assembly along the pathway defined by the base 12 and the sides 16 may be checked by locking the presser 58 in its This is brought out in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. At the bottom of the presser there is a cam locking surface 67 which is sufliciently narrow to engage only with the center runner 14a on the base 12. When the presser is positioned upright cam 67 engages the top surface of runner 14a and locks the assembly 18 from movement. However, each time the cam 67 locks with the runner 14a, an almost imperceptible indent is left on the runner. If the cards C were to rest on the runner 14a their movement (to be described) in the pathway of the body 10 would be hampered. Consequently, the cards or articles C rest on the runners 14, which are raised slightly higher than runner 14a.

As was mentioned previously, assemblies 17 and 18 may be positioned in the body 10 of the container as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 to enable the container to function as a file drawer. The cards C may be tilted for convenient filing. The rear assembly 18 may move in the card filing space to vary the extent thereof or the cards C may be compressed for storing. In their compressed condition the cards C are unaffected by changes in humidity and warping is prevented.

For use as a card feed hopper in a business machine the rear assembly 18 may be removed to a position clear of the card pathway shown in Fig. 4.

An upwardly extending abutment 72 of side 16 terminates the course of each track 21 close to the rear end of side 16. The abutment 72 forms the rear edge of a vertical slot 74 which joins the back ends of tracks 21 and 22. The forward edge of slot 74 is formed by the rear end of track forming plate 20. Slot 74 is sufficiently wide to accommodate guide rod 48. Vertical slots 76, wide enough to accommodate the passage of washer 49, are cut in each of the grooved members 19 through the top of track 21 and extending to and through the bottom of track 22. This arrangement serves to prevent unintentional removal of the assembly 18 from the container body 10. Because washers 49 are larger in diameter than the width of the slot 74, the guide rod 48,

to which they are attached, will always be confined in its movement in tracks 21 or 22 or the vertical connecting track consisting of slots 74 and 76.

The assembly 18 is moved to the rear until the top guide rod 48 is stopped by the abutment 72. The bottom track 32 is open to the rear so that the bottom guide rods ment with the same track. Continued forward movement places the rod 46 in the track 22 by way of the back end thereof so-thatthe assembly 18 assumes the position as shown in Fig. 4. In this manner the rear of the card pathway is unobstructed to the passage of cards from the container to the machine. While in this position the handle 56'is exposed so that it, along with the front handle 34, maybe grasped to facilitate further handling of the container body 10. I Replacement of the rear assembly 18 to its normal closed position so as to block the rear of the card path way is accomplished by moving assembly 18 toward the rear of the body 10 until guide rod 46 is no longer positioned in track 22 and the washers 49 on the rod 48 strike the forward shoulders 78 on the abutments 72, Figs. 1, 3 and 4. It will be noted that the shoulders 78 are bentto extend into the guide track 22 to block the washers 49 from moving out the rear of the track, but are spaced vertically from the adjacent turned down portion of the number 19 to permit free passage of the rod 46 therebetween. Guide rod 48 is permitted to ride down the vertical track 74, until it is almost in alignment with track 21. The assembly is then rotated about the axis of therod 48 to bring the rods 46 and 55 into horizontal alignment with the lowest track 32 and it is then moved forward into the pathway.

To utilize the container body 10 as a card bin for receiving cards from a business machine the front as- .sembly 17 is moved from its blocking position at the front of the container, as shown in Fig. l, to the position clear of the card pathway as shown in Fig. 2. With the ends of both of the guide rods in the upper track 22 the front assembly can be pushed to the rear of the container.

The rear assembly is placed close to the curved card guide 43. The presser plate 58 is placed in its tilted position, leaving the rear assembly in an unlocked condition. As the business machine presses cards into the container between the tiltable presser plate and the card,

guide 43, the rear assembly is forced to the rear to accommodate the cards. When the last card is fed into the container it may be removed for storage purposes. The front assembly is then latched to the front of the container, and the presser plate pulled forward, compressing the cards and locking the rear assembly in place in the container.

The containers may be stacked one upon another by the attachment of guides to the sides of the containers or they may be placed in file cabinets.

While there have been shown and described the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form, detail, and operation of the devices illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A container for cards and the like comprising a body portion having a base and sides defining a card pathway for loading and unloading cards, a front closure assembly mounted at one end of said card pathway, a rear closure assembly slidably mounted in said card pathway, an upper groove parallel to but removed from said card pathway and opening inwardly from each of saidcontainer sides, a lower groove in each container side below and parallel to said upper groove, a connecting groove close to the rear of said container extending between and connecting said upper and lower grooves, pivots projecting laterally from said front closure assembly slidably guided in said upper grooves enabling the front closure assembly to be pivoted to an open position out of the loading path of said cards, lateral projections on said front closure assembly adapted for insertion into said upper grooves to enable the retention of said front assembly in said open position, pivots projecting laterally from said rear closure assembly adapted to be slidably guided in any one of said grooves enabling said rear closure assembly to he slid along said card pathway with said pivots in said lower grooves to accommodate the loading said cards and enabling said rear closure assembly to be pivoted to an open position with said pivots on the rear closure assembly being slid along said connecting grooves into said upper grooves out of the cardloading path of said cards, and projections on said rear closure assembly adapted for insertion into said upper grooves to enable the retention of said rear closure assembly in it open position at any desired location along said container.

2.,A container for cards and the like comprising a body portion having a base and sides defining a card pathway for loading and unloading cards, an upper groove parallel to but removed from said card pathway and opening inwardly from each of said container sides, a lower groove below and parallel to said upper groove, a connecting groove close to the rear of said container extending between and connecting said upper and lower grooves, a rear closure assembly slidably mounted in said card pathway, pivots projecting laterally from said rear closure assembly adapted to be slidably guided in any one of said grooves enabling said rear closure assembly to be slid along said card pathway with said pivots in said lower groove to accommodate the loading of said cards and enabling saidrear closure assembly to be pivoted to an open position with said pivots slid into said: upper groove out of the card loading path of said cards, and projections on said rear closure assembly adapted for insertion into said upper'groove to enable the retention or" said rear closure assembly in its open position at any desired location along said container.

-3. A container for cards and the like comprising a body portion having a base and sides defining a card pathway for loading and unloading cards, upper and lower parallel grooves-extending. along the inside of each of said container sides and connected by a third groove close to the rear of said container, the upper grooves being located above said card pathway, a front closure assembly supported in its closed position at the front of said container by pivots slidably guided in said upper grooves and having lateral projections adapted for slidable insertion into said upper grooves when said front closure assembly is in pivoted open position, a rear closure assembly mounted between said container sides and adapted for fore and aft movement along said container body having pivots slidably guided in said'lower grooves in closed position and in said upper grooves in open position, and having lateral projections adapted for slidable insertion into said upper grooves when said rear closure assembly is in pivoted open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 443,350 Berners Dec. 23, 1890 775,696 Belknap Nov. 22, 1904 855,097 Cox May 28, 1907 1,037,912 Howard Sept. 10, 1912 1,963,089 Henderson June 19, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 640,970 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1950 

